Power-operated carriage return and line-spacing device



Feb. 13, 1951 w. 'r. SAGNER POWER-OPERATED CARRIAGE RETURN AND LINE-SPACING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1948 INVENTOR. WA LTERT SAGNER BY 5 7 Feb. 13, 1951 w. T. SAGNER 2,541,295

POWER-OPERATED CARRIAGE RETURN AND LINE-SPACING DEVICE Filed May 15, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIIIIII/I I I'IIIIIIII Patented Feb. 13, 1951 f 1 p UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE POWER-OPERATED CARRIAGE RETURN AND LINE- SPACI NG DEVICE Walter Theodore Sagner, West Hartford, .Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 15, 1948, Serial No. 27,224

2 Claims. (01. 197-66) f l 2 This invention relates in general t typewriters stated, employing preferably a, mechanism seryl and other record preparing machines, and more ing 9,1 for an ther urpose. particularly to power devices for operating a line- Having now reference to the drawingssp in m anism and u e y retu ning, a Figure 1 is a skeleton front perspective view illustrating the invention embodied in a typecarriage. 5. y prior devices of this type are ope Writerand indicating portions of the typewriter. for lin -spa p ra if t e rria e is stacarriage in an advanced letter-feed position, ti n d in retu d p s v t pr Figure 2 is a sectional front elevation of a part for this capability the control mechanism has of the control mechanism for power-returning been either of a complex nature, or the carriage the carriage and effecting line-spacing operafeed and related mechan sm s been of a design tions, a carriage-carried return terminating conwhich p Conclusion of a power return of the trol element being shown in the position it occarriage provided for a great back-lash of the eupies after t i ti of a t l t in Order to permit the efiectuation of the Figure 3 is a fractional side elevation showing Power device subsequently for line-spaci g p a"typewriter carriage guided upon a frame, to tion in the returned position of the arri gether with a'conventional letter-feeding mecha Resort to a great back-lash is of course undenism therefor,

sirable inasmuch as such back-lash is then also ,1. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but depresent at carriage back-Spacing p t O S d plots the control mechanism in a condition it whenever the carria e is being reloca y handwill transitorily occu following the institution Moreover, the Problem of P ov a r y of a line-spacing operation if such institution'is and efiiciently op e power-mechanism effected while the carriage is stationed in return line-spacing in the returned position of the carposition,

riage is greatly aggravated in machines of-small .The invention is illustrated in'connection with;

ett -f p h since t ap m n must the All Electric Underwood Typewriter, and somecatch the p ope e p t Wheel tooth a details of the mechanism correspond substantially time it takes over the control of the carriage with those shown in a patent to Helmond, No; following a carriage return and/or line-spacing 2,262,676, dated November 11, I941, whereoverthe operation, and since therefore the back-lash must invention constitutes an improvement.

be appreciably less than one letter-feed space. Directing now attention to Figure 3, a paper-Q It is an object of the invention to provide a supporting carriage I0 is guided for letter-feed power mechanism of the general species herein-' and return movements upon a trackway l2 which above referred to, which requires few parts, is forms part of'a'machine framework. The carfunctionally simple, and doesnot rely on small riage has spaced end plates l4 wherein a records movements and-thus is reliable in operation. supporting platen I5, by means of a shaft l3.

It is another object of the invention-to provide is turnably supported. A spring motor l6 having; an eflicient mechanism for the. purpose stated a usual flexible band'connection with the carin a machine that embodies a letter-feed con-v riage It urges thelatter constantly in lettertrolling mechanism which permits only a small feed direction, that is leftwardly as seen from back-lash of the carriage after the power-return 40 the front of the machine. The carriage is alaction is terminated. lowed to letter-feed under the influence of said Another object is to provide a mechanism satisspring motor at each actuation of an escapement tying the stated objects and adding littl or no mechanism comprising a rocker l9 pivoted at weight to the carriage. 1

opposite ends upon'pintles 2|. Said rocker I9 It is a further object of the invention to prccarries a usual holding dog 22 which is normallyvide for amomentary carriage advance incidental engaged by a tooth of an escapement wheel 23 to the conditioning of the power device for line to detain the carriage in a letter-feed position. spacing in the returned position of the carriage, Said wheel 23 is carried on a vertical shaft .25

in order that the control mechanism for such which also carries a pinion 26 in mesh with a. power device may be given control movements 5ov rack 21 that has supportupon and extends lengthof sufficient magnitude to provide ,for reliable I wise of the carriage l0 between its ends. The, functioning. wheel shaft 25 is journalled in the framework- It is a still further object to employ a power of the machine. The escapement rocker l9 carries mechanism to impart to the carriage said another dog 30 which transitorily during operamomentary carriage advance for the purpose tion of the escapement rocker in clockwise direc closed" clutch position of the lever as it will assume the position seen in Figure 4. Incl? dental to its rightward displacement by the margin stop 33 the counterstop arm 34 will dis-- A spring I relatively lighterthan the spring 01 tends to keep the counterstop arm. in centact with the pin IOI. The counterstop arm' 34 has also an upwardly acting spring I04 associated therewith to keep its upper end M normally in cooperative range of the margin stops, the counterstop arm at the location of the piv ot pin 95 having a slot permitting it to be lowered below the range of the margin stops, in a conventional manner, for typing beyond the "regul arly established margins.

Pivoted on the same pivot as the latch 88 is a secondary latch I05 normally clear of the front side of the lever 85 and having alatch shoulder a little lower than the latch shoulder of the latch 88. This secondary latch I05 has an arm I04 reaching forwardly under and contacting normally the pin 9| under the tension of a contractile spring I06 provided between the latch arms" 92 and I04. When the primary latch 88 is.

operated, as hereinbefore described, by'operation of either one of the carriage return keys, the secondary latch is temporarily capacitated under the tension of the spring I06 to hold the lever 85 as it moves to open clutch position and in the event the carriage returning operation is concluded before the operator has released carriage return key 63. In any event, following release or the operated carriage return key, and at theend of the power return of the carriage, the primary latch 88 will always have reassumed control over the lever 85, under the tension of the spring I06, to hold it in open-clutch position.

Referring now specifically to Figure 1, the machine of the invention includes a space bar III for operating the aforedescribed escapement rocker I9 and thereby to cause the carriage I0 to feed a letter-feed increment. Preferably such operation is effected through the intermediary of a power device presently to be described and of conventional design.

The space bar III is mounted upon the front end of a structure which includes a lever II2 pivotally carried on a shaft II3, the lever having an arm II4 for imparting an anticlockwise rocking movement to a transversely disposed lever H5. The latter is pivoted at H6 and at theleft overlies a rearwardly extending lever I I! having pivotal support at H8 in the machine. Reaching upwardly from the lever I I I is an element I20 which has a hook normally overlying a lug II!) on a power link I2 I. Operation of the space bar II I results in a downward displacement of the power link I2I to connect transitorily a snatch pawl I22 thereof with a fluted power shaft I23 that is constantly turning. Said power link is connected at the front to a pendant guide arm I24 and at a point rearward thereof has a spring I26 connected thereto to urge it rearwardly and upwardly against an abutment, not shown, so that the snatch pawl I22 is normally barely clear of the fluted power shaft. At the rear the power link I2I has connected thereto, by means of a pin-and-slot connection I28, a pull-link I21, the latter being communicative with a pivoted bail structure I30 comprising a shaft I3I, an arm I32 to which the link I2! is connected at the left side 6"? of the machine, and a rearwardly reaching arm I33'near' the escapement. Operation of the bail about theshaft axis in an anticlockwisev sense: causes a cam-face on the arm I 33. to-act on'a; roller I34 to impart a rocking movement to the escapement rocker .19.. Itwill now be seen that operation of the space bar III causes .a transitory forward actuation of the power link I2I a consequent actuation of the bail structure I30, and an operation of the escapement I9, 22 and 30 to feed the carriage one-letter-feed increment. The. snatch pawl I. 22 of the power link is forced; out.- of engagement; with the fluted shaft automatically as the escapementbecomes actuated. This is by reason of a nose I36 on the actuator link I2I moving into the orbit of the teeth; on the fluted shaft. After the power link is foiicedup wardly, it will return to normal positi en'under the urge of the spring I26. Should the 'space key. still be held operated at this time, there will notensue a second power operation, but thehook element I20 will temporarily be displaced rear-.

wardly by the lug I IS on the power link I 2I with-i out any engaging effect on the snatch pawl I22.

According to theinvention a momentary carriage advance will'ensue in immediate responseto" the operation of the carriage returnkeys 63... To this end the key stem 64 of the carriage ire-g, turn key at the leftside of-the keyboard is pro-Q. vided with a rearwardly extending branch I36" which has a lip overlying the lever III5 of' the.

space-key controlled mechanism. Therefore,

upon' operation of either of the carriage return. keys-63; thelevers' II5, III'will become operatea contact with the counterstop end 34?, as illustrated in Figure 2, the margin stop 33 will advance out of the way of the counterstop end 34 to make room for the control lever to execute a large and adequate clutch closing movement. This is illustrated clearly in Figure 4 wherein the margin stop has moved one letter-feed step from extreme return position, and wherein the clutch controlling mechanism is shown to have moved to fully closed clutch position.

Inasmuch as the clutch 42, 45 is enabled to close fully and reliably, it follows also that there will ensue a reliable line-spacing action, and that this line-spacing action will be followed by a movement of the carriage in return direction which will cause the margin stop 33 to impart a large and reliable clutch opening movement to the counterstop and the parts leading to the carriage return clutch, it being understood that such movement ensues after the line-spacing mechanism has been actuated.

The advance movement of the carriage results in response to every operation of a return key 63,

regardless of whether or not the carriage is in returned position. Obviously when the carriage is not in returned position there is no necessity for the institution of s, letter-feed movement, but no harm comes thereof.

rwhat iiflclaimfifii 1.5::- r

machinis -having: awar 1-5.; recondsmaki rgg:

niagemomble om ai -frame,- i cflmpli'sing escapement for letteri-ieeding the carriage, a; line? spacer.v on-the carriage limitedlyoperable; to. line spaces. r'ec011d material',. pow-er means nonmalid'le-actuator means operatively associated sai'dz line spacer; foe-operating? thesame a r-id en iaspredetenmined displaio'eable from, atnorma'ly to a displa'ed' position. tfdc'onnectrs'aid a'otuaztor" meansfor; operation by said-L, power" suingly -neturning the oarria ge t positiom: means-including. a: part means}: and restorazble toanormalposition; to? disoonnecti said actuatorme-ans; a}: key; means r'esponsive tic saiid key} to displace, said-j displceafilr means inclhdi-ng said pa'rt; means": on the: carriage. engageabfe with said p'arfiby mov mentof the casriaget'msaid pfedeteiminediposition, to restorei'. ii'zid displeeeablemeans andjtherefo'reto dishon 2. In a record makin machine; having: a: scan. 0

riage movable n: a frame, means? comprising an es'capement operable to letter-feed thefiwi lrriagte;v normallyv'inaotive means to power-operate said e55- lyeictuaitingtthe sameandensuingly returning:

to; predeterminedpositionto restore saifidis as 'flvementt a line; spacerlimitedlm opersbleonstmt ca'priuge to efie'otz line spacing" ofi l ocondsmateri' powen means; normally idle actua or meansro fi ativelyassboiated withzsaid-line, spacer :ion limits.

canniage. boat-predetermined position", m ans; in eluding: a p'art displaceable from wnormal pQSi-U-mk; to' rodnrient said: vemulator means; to said: power means ioronex atiom thereby; and restmiableizto nor-,mali-position to disconnect-semisctuatormeellfi 'plat'c"eatbl'e;me'a'zns'i and therefor todi'sconnect.s ai 4 acwatorv-means;tamtmesns:responstve'tosai khak toarendeesaid eseapementipower ope"wtingmesnsgactive for efiecting a, single advances; emnfilofi: .theicajnriagfe andathereby to pi ovide sgtic fo "aid p'att to' move to displaced positiom the eve I it carriage stationed in returnd position. 7

WALTER- THEGDORE 7 sAGmi- R EFERENGES CITED HE fiiilIOWI ITE; rf'fernce'sQare Of lj'cofrd. 13mifiI'e. Of this 1 815811111 UNITED s I'ATEsiPATEN'Is Number Date-'- 

